


The Pull of One Magnet to Another

by cameronsmutiny



Series: Faint of Heart [1]
Category: Wynonna Earp (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, F/F, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-14
Updated: 2018-01-14
Packaged: 2019-03-04 13:22:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,991
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13365594
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cameronsmutiny/pseuds/cameronsmutiny
Summary: Waverly thought she had the life a teenage girl was supposed to want until Nicole Haught transfers to Purgatory High and upends everything.  Waverly struggles to understand feelings she never imagined she would have.





	The Pull of One Magnet to Another

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: All characters (and some dialogue) belong to the Wynonna Earp series. No copyright infringement intended. 
> 
> For the purposes of this story, Nicole is 17 and a junior and Waverly is 16 and a sophomore. This story takes place in 2007.

"the muscles fought so long,  
to control against the pull of one magnet to another"  
\- "I Was Married" by Tegan and Sara

 

The first time she saw Nicole Haught, Waverly was sitting on the front steps of Purgatory High School in the late fall sun with her Latin textbook open in her lap and Champ’s arm heavy around her shoulder.

She saw heads turning as three girls walked towards the school. “That must be the new student. I heard she's a really good basketball player.”

“Ugh, girls basketball,” Champ snorted. “Who cares? It's not like any girl jocks are ever hot.”

“You don't consider me a girl jock?” Waverly turned towards him, her eyebrow lifted.

“Cheerleading? Are you serious? Sorry, babe. Not a sport.”

Champ kept talking, but his voice faded away as Waverly watched Nicole coming closer, two other girls in Purgatory High Blue Devils Basketball jackets beside her.

Nicole's ginger hair was pulled into a French braid and her long, slender fingers were wrapped around the strap of the duffle bag that hung from her shoulder. She was lean and tall, taller than the girls she was with. One of the girls said something that made Nicole laugh, and Waverly watched Nicole's dark eyes crinkle and a dimple appeared on the left side of her face. Waverly could feel herself staring as Nicole walked up the stairs, now just a few feet from her. As Nicole passed by she turned, met Waverly’s eye, and smiled at her. Waverly felt her stomach do a weird flip and she tried to smile back but it was like her face wouldn't work quite right and her smile felt crooked.

“Waves, are you even listening? Stop being boring and put that book away.” Champ tugged on her arm, drawing her attention back to himself.

“Gotta go, Latin quiz this morning.” She shut her book and stood up, Champ’s hand falling away from her arm.

She pushed through the front doors and scanned the crowded main hallway, wanting to see where Nicole had gone, though she had no idea why or what she'd say to her if she did see her. She spotted Nicole's ginger hair at the end of the hallway just as she disappeared around a corner. Waverly’s shoulders sagged with a feeling she could only identify as disappointment, but over what she didn't know.

The bell rang, startling her, and she headed towards homeroom, trying to turn her mind to her Latin quiz. She tried to review her vocab in her mind as she walked but the only word coming to mind wasn't one for the quiz. It was longus, Latin for tall.

\---

“Looking for someone, Waves?” Chrissy Nedley asked from across their lunch table.

“Nope, not at all,” Waverly replied quickly. Chrissy's eyes narrowed.

“Why do you ask?” Waverly continued, taking a bite of the turkey sandwich with mustard Gus had made her.

“Well, your head has practically been on a swivel all lunch and you've barely talked at all, which is kind of weird for you,” Chrissy answered.

“I'm fine. Just distracted, I guess.”

“Okay,” Chrissy replied, though Waverly could feel concerned eyes on her as they finished their lunch. She wished for a moment that Chrissy was as self-absorbed as the rest of the cheerleaders at their table. She couldn't explain to herself why she had kept thinking about Nicole Haught since she saw her this morning, let alone explain it to Chrissy. The best she had been able to come up with was that it was the novelty of a new student in a small town school, but that hadn't satisfied her. The bell rang soon after and she headed for her Honors Chemistry class with Chrissy.

\---

They had taken their seats and Waverly was fetching a pen out of her backpack when she heard someone call “Over here, Nicole!” Waverly's head whipped up. It was one of the basketball players she had seen with Nicole that morning. Nicole acknowledged the girl with a wave and went to talk with their teacher.

“Class,” Ms. Sicuranza said, waving her hand to get their attention. “I'd like to introduce Nicole Haught, she's joining Purgatory High as a junior. Some of you may have met her in another class but let's give her a warm welcome. Nicole, I understand that you're a fine student so I have no doubt you'll be able to get up to speed with us.”

Nicole waved hello to the class, thanked the teacher, and took an open desk next to her teammate. It was an odd sensation, Waverly had spent much of her day on the lookout for Nicole but now that she was only feet away Waverly found that she felt nervous to look at her, not sure what expression her own face would show.

It took more effort than Waverly wanted to admit, but she managed to keep her attention on Ms. Sicuranza during the lecture portion of class. But when they moved to the back of the classroom for lab and Nicole was in her line of sight, her mind wandered. She was careful not to draw Chrissy's attention while they did the experiment, instead glancing at Nicole from under her lashes while she had her head down to check the textbook. She found it kind of fascinating to watch Nicole's long fingers turn the pages of her own textbook and adjust the temperature on the burner. By the end of class, she felt even further from figuring out why her mind was stuck on Nicole.

\---

The sun had set and without it the air had turned cold and windy, raising goosebumps on Waverly's arms and whipping her hair across her face. She bounced on her toes, impatient for cheer practice to end. Even the plastic of her pom-poms felt cold around her hands.

“Once again ladies! And I want to see crisp movements!” Their coach called out.

Waverly turned to Chrissy beside her and they exchanged a weary eye roll. As they took their places, Waverly's eye caught a small group leaving the gymnasium and her stomach rolled when she saw that Nicole was one of them. Nicole and two other girls, all in Purgatory Blue Devils warm-ups, stopped at the chain link fence around the practice field to watch the end of cheer practice. Nicole dropped her duffle bag at her feet and leaned her forearms on the top of the fence.

For the second time that day, Waverly found herself staring at Nicole. And to her surprise, it definitely seemed like Nicole was staring back. Nicole gave her an easy smile, her dimple visible even with the distance between them. Almost on autopilot, Waverly gave Nicole a smile and wave, her pom-pom shaking softly.

“Ms. Earp, are you with us?” The coach called, hands on her hips.

“Oops, yes, sorry!” Waverly replied. She could feel sudden warmth in her cheeks and decided it was either windburn from the cold or embarrassment at being called out by the coach. She didn't want to consider the possibility that it had to do with Nicole's presence. She could see Chrissy watching her out of the corner of her eye. Waverly deliberately avoided looking at Chrissy and brought her pom-poms up to her chest to mirror the other girls.

“Time for one more cheer! Come on boys from here to there!” They called, their voices ringing in the cold evening air. The coach nodded, satisfied, and ended practice.

Waverly looked back towards the fence where Nicole had been but couldn't see her through the dispersing cheerleaders. She sighed with that same sense of strange disappointment she'd felt earlier in the day when she lost Nicole in the hallway. She said goodbye to Chrissy and went to pick up her backpack and water bottle by the sideline of the field.

She picked up the water, took a drink, and twisted the cap back on. She turned and was startled to see Nicole right in front of her, this time alone.

“Hi, I've been meaning to introduce myself. I'm Nicole. Nicole Haught,” she said, smiling and holding out her hand to Waverly. Waverly reached out to take it, Nicole's skin warm and smooth. She liked the sound of Nicole's voice, soft but with a little rasp to it and the faint trace of a accent she couldn't place.

“I'm...,” she replied.

“Waverly Earp,” Nicole finished. “Quite a popular girl around here.” Waverly's mind started to race. If Nicole already knew her name, that must mean that she had asked about her. And if Nicole had asked about her, what exactly had she wanted to know?

“Thanks, it's all in the smile and wave,” Waverly said with a shrug. “So,” she continued, eager to get the topic off of what else Nicole Haught might know about her. “Everyone says you're a great basketball player and that you'll take us to the state championship year.”

Nicole ducked her head almost shyly. “I wouldn't say great, but thanks. The team is already good, so I'm just looking to find a way to help.”

“It must be hard to be new, especially when you have to start in the middle of a term,” Waverly asked.

“I've had to do it before, my dad is in the military,” Nicole shrugged and then smiled, but Waverly noticed that this one didn't make it to her eyes. “The girls on the team have been great, though.”

“Do you miss your old school?”

“Not really. It was pretty clique-heavy. I'm liking Purgatory so far, though,” Nicole said with a smile, a real one this time, her dimple appearing. Up close now, Waverly could see the warm brown of Nicole's eyes and the weight of her gaze didn't make Waverly feel self-conscious or awkward. It made her feel...seen.

“I was wondering,” Nicole continued. “Can I take you out to lunch sometime and you could show me around town?” She raised her eyebrows slightly, leaving no doubt in Waverly's mind that she meant a date. Waverly squeezed the water bottle in her hand hard enough that the loosely attached cap flew off and the water splashed all over her t-shirt.

“Oh, fudge nuggets,” Waverly sighed, pulling the shirt away from her skin. She had another in her backpack but it would take forever to cut through back to the locker room. “Uh, Nicole, would you mind blocking me? I have another shirt in my bag.”

“Sure, no problem,” Nicole replied, turning her back and sliding over to block Waverly from view.

Waverly got the new shirt out and started to pull the wet one off when it caught on her bracelet while her arms were overhead. “Nicole? Uh, I'm stuck. Can you give me a little help?” Waverly's cheeks were burning now and she could feel the cold breeze across her stomach where her sports bra ended.

“It's ok, I got you,” Nicole replied, gently untangling her. Waverly quickly put the dry shirt on.

“So, how about lunch?” Nicole asked again.

“I would love to…. Like! I would like to, but I can't. I have cheer, plus I waitress at Shorty’s, and lots of homework. Lots, lots going on, I have to plan days in advance. I'm a planner!” Waverly felt her rambling going off the rails but Nicole seemed more amused than anything. “And I'm in a relationship with a boy, a guy, he's a guy.”

“Ok, well if you change your mind, here's my number,” Nicole took a small notebook out of her duffle bag, tore out a piece, wrote down her number, and handed it to Waverly. “I should get going, but I'll see you in class. And at games too, I heard you cheer for the guys and girls.”

“Yeah, it's new this year. A lot of students go to both games,” she answered, jittery at the idea that she would be seeing a lot of Nicole. She waved goodbye and watched Nicole lift her bag onto her shoulder and walk to meet her friends by the fence.

Nicole turned back to Waverly. “I mean it,” she said, grinning now and pointing to the paper in Waverly's hand.

Waverly looked down at the paper in her hand, tracing her finger over the indentations Nicole’s pen had left. When she looked back up, Nicole was back with her friends and Waverly was left wondering why everything suddenly felt up-ended.

\---

That night, Waverly lay awake in bed far past the time she typically fell asleep, the paper with Nicole's phone number looming on her nightstand. She thought if she could simply come up with the right explanation of why Nicole had overtaken her mind that it would stop. She considered that it was because Nicole seemed cool and confident and she wanted to be like her. But that didn't explain why the bottom of her stomach dropped out every time she saw Nicole.

She kept returning to when Nicole asked her to lunch, absolutely certain that Nicole meant it as a date. Was she giving Nicole signals that she was interested without knowing it? She didn't know of any other lesbians at Purgatory High, though Champ and his friends often made gross jokes about the girl jocks.

She had been dating Champ for 6 months and, after increasingly irritating and seemingly endless pestering from him, had given in and had sex with him several times over the summer on a scratchy blanket in the bed of his old pickup. The best she could say for it was that it didn't last long. Once school started back up, she claimed busyness as much as she could get away with but that hadn't stopped Champ from trying.

Given her family history, she hadn’t been sure any of the guys would want her. It seemed to her like football players dating cheerleaders was just the way of things in Purgatory, so when she joined the varsity cheerleaders as a freshman and watched other girls on the team quickly pairing off with guys she feared she'd be left behind, damaged goods. When Champ asked her out, it was such relief, like the feeling she got when she checked off a tough task on her to-do list. It wasn't long before she realized that he never asked her anything about herself and spent most of their conversations with his eyes on her chest.

Champ’s attention quickly became stifling, but from what the other cheerleaders said about their boyfriends their experience was much the same. But if she already had what a girl her age was supposed to want, why couldn't she stop thinking about Nicole asking her out? She did feel intrigued by Nicole, she could admit that. But it wasn't like that. Was it? She couldn't figure out what someone like Nicole would want with her anyways. She was exhausted by her own thoughts and her eyes stung from tiredness. She closed them and turned on her side, pulling the blankets tight under her chin. She finally fell asleep while imagining how Nicole's long fingers would look holding a basketball.

\---

With no cheer practice the following afternoon, Waverly spent ten minutes outside the gymnasium door listening to bouncing basketballs and trying to work up the courage to go in. She finally took a deep breath and cracked the door open just enough so that she could slide through. She walked close to the wall, scanning the court for Nicole.

The team was split into two groups, each working on inbounds passing on one half of the court. She noticed about a dozen students spread out on the bleachers watching practice and went to sit down. Nicole was taking her turn to inbound the ball and Waverly took in the smooth muscle of Nicole's shoulders and upper back as she held the ball over her head. Her fingers stretched easily across the ball, the tips of them a bright white from pressure. She turned the ball slightly in her hands while her teammates scrambled for their places, her fingers slender but strong. She inbounded the ball and continued the play.

Waverly felt herself smiling as she watched Nicole practice. She was no expert on basketball but even she could tell how good Nicole was. She was quick and moved so naturally it seemed like the game was easy for her but Waverly could also see the focus in her expression.

About 20 minutes later, Coach Nedley blew his whistle for the end of practice. The team gathered around him for final notes and then were dismissed. Nicole used the shoulder of her jersey to wipe her forehead and then looked up at the bleachers. Her eyes found Waverly almost immediately and Waverly felt that now familiar drop in her stomach when Nicole gave her a huge smile. Waverly lifted her hand to wave, suddenly nervous that Nicole knew she had been watching her. She concentrated on getting down from the bleachers, paranoid that she would fall in front of Nicole.

They approached each other; Nicole with a basketball still tucked under her arm and Waverly trying to decide whether she would look more casual with her hands in the pockets of her jeans or at her sides. She decided on pockets but quickly pulled them back out, wiping them on her sides for fear that they were sweaty.

“Hey, I'm surprised to see you here. No cheer practice today?” Nicole asked. Close now, Waverly noticed the flush in Nicole's cheeks from practice. Even the tips of her ears were pink. Waverly thought the flush made her eyes look somehow brighter than usual.

“Nope, not today,” Waverly answered. “I thought I'd come see what all the fuss was about. The team, I mean. The fuss about the team.”

“Well, I hope we met expectations,” Nicole said, a twinkle in her eye as if she knew exactly what fuss Waverly wanted to see.

“You're really good, you make it look so easy, like even I could do it.”

“Thank you,” Nicole said, ducking her head a little. “But why don't you think you could do it?” Nicole wondered, a tiny line forming between her eyes as her eyebrows pulled together. “I saw you in cheer practice, you’re definitely an athlete.”

Waverly smiled, her heart squeezed a little with the thought that Nicole believed her capable.

“I was going to shoot some free throws, it helps me unwind after practice. Want to try some?”

“Yeah, I would. Are you going to teach me?” Waverly asked. The gym was all but empty now, and Waverly very much liked the idea of having Nicole's attention all to herself.

“Sure,” Nicole said. “Are you right-handed?” Waverly nodded.

“Me too, that makes it easier to explain. Ok, so your right hand and arm are going to be doing the work and your left is mainly for guidance. Two of the most important things to do are to properly line yourself up with the rim and imagine the shot going in.”

“Here, stand right here on the center of the line,” Nicole said, gently taking Waverly's elbow and leading her to the right place. “When you shoot, you'll bring your arms back like this,” she demonstrated.

“Like this?” Waverly asked, mimicking Nicole's movement.

“Yeah, you got it, just take your wrist a little further back,” Nicole said, slipping her fingers around Waverly's wrist and guiding her into place. Waverly felt a charge go through her body at Nicole's touch, like a spark from static electricity except warm.

“Now, close your eyes for a second and imagine making the shot.” Nicole said, her voice soft now. Waverly closed her eyes and tried to focus but all she could think of was the scent of laundry detergent from Nicole's uniform and the warmth of her body so close.

“Ok, open your eyes and shoot,” Nicole said. Waverly did, her shot hitting the right half of the rim then bouncing off to the floor.

“That was really good, Waverly. Nice form,” Nicole said, giving Waverly that smile again, the one that made Waverly feel like she had every bit of Nicole's attention, the one that Waverly was already starting to think of as hers.

The gym door opened and Waverly and Nicole both jumped a little, the moment broken.

“Waves! There you are,” Champ huffed. “I've been looking for you. Pete told me he saw you here. What are you doing anyways?” His brow furrowed as he took in Waverly and Nicole standing close together, the basketball now on the floor beside them.

“I was talking to Nicole and she was nice enough to show me how to shoot free throws,” Waverly said, hands on her hips, trying to tamp down her aggravation at his interruption.

Champ looked befuddled, as if he couldn't imagine why she would want to do such a thing. “Well, let’s go already, a bunch of us are going to hang out in the woods behind Pete’s house.”

“Sounds great,” Waverly said flatly, under her breath but loud enough for Nicole, who laughed.

“I gotta go. Thanks for the lesson, Nicole,” Waverly said.

“Anytime Waves, see you later” Nicole said softly. Waverly felt warmth spread all through her body at hearing Nicole use her nickname.

“See you later,” Waverly said, walking towards the door where Champ waited. She tried to resist but couldn't help herself and as she reached the gym door she turned back to look at Nicole, who was watching her too. Like a mirror image, they raised their hands at the same time to wave.

As the doors shut behind them, Champ turned to Waverly and said “Why are you hanging out with her?”

“Because she's cool, and smart, and really good at basketball,” Waverly said, hearing the irritation and defensiveness in her own voice.

“You know she's a total lesbian, right? One of the guys from the basketball team asked her out and she said no,” Champ scoffed in disbelief.

“Not accepting doesn't automatically make her a lesbian.”

“Whatever. Just don't hang out with her.”

“Oh you are not telling me who I can be friends with,” Waverly shouted, her voice loud in the empty hallway.

“Calm down. Maybe I don't want people saying my girlfriend is a lesbian,” Champ said, disgust evident on his face.

“That's right, Champ. Like always, everything is about you.” Waverly spun on her heel and stormed away.

“Hey! What's your problem? What about Pete’s?” He yelled after her.

She didn't answer. She pounded up the stairs towards her locker, in every step fighting her urge to run back to Nicole.

\---

Later that night, Waverly paced the floor of her bedroom in her pajamas, phone in hand. She had put Nicole's number into her phone, but the piece of paper remained on her nightstand. She had spent the last hour locked in an internal debate over whether calling would give Nicole the wrong idea. Waverly doubted that Nicole could have heard what Champ said about her but on the chance she had, she wanted to see if she was okay.

Her hands felt cold as she dialed, part of her hoping Nicole wouldn't answer.

“Hello?”

Waverly's throat felt suddenly dry. She swallowed quickly and, before she lost her nerve, said “Hey Nicole, it's Waves.”

“Oh hey, what's up Waves?”

“I wanted to apologize for Champ today. He was being a jerk.”

“It's ok, but thank you. How are you? You seemed kind of upset when you left.”

Waverly smiled, appreciating Nicole's concern. “I'm fine now, I was just super annoyed. I should go, I just wanted to say hi.”

“I'm glad you're ok. Night, Waves. See you tomorrow.”

“Night, Nicole. See you.”

Waverly laid her phone down on her nightstand beside the paper with Nicole's number. She had liked the sound of Nicole's voice, warm and soft in her ear. She took a deep breath and let it out, sitting down in the edge of her bed. She still didn't understand why she felt the way she did around Nicole, but she was certain of one thing. The more time they spent together, the more she craved.

\---

Less than a week later, the cheerleaders were set to board the bus they would share with the girls basketball team to the season opener, an away game. Waverly often sat with Chrissy but they were on opposite ends of the boarding line this time and one of the other girls ahead of Waverly took the empty seat beside Chrissy. Chrissy gave her a shrug and mouthed “sorry” as Waverly passed. Waverly smiled at her and took a seat by herself towards the back of the bus.

The girls basketball team followed and Waverly's heart started to pound as she spotted Nicole standing outside the bus. She tried to put a casual look on her face while her eyes tracked Nicole as she walked up the steps and down the aisle. Waverly pushed herself as close as she could to the wall of the bus with a mixture of hope and terror that Nicole would notice the empty seat beside her. She could hear her heartbeat in her ears as Nicole made eye contact with her and then her eyes slid to the empty seat.

“Hi. Can I sit?” Nicole asked, when she had reached Waverly.

“Yeah, of course,” Waverly answered. Nicole slid her bag to the floor and sat beside her.

She could feel the soft fabric of Nicole's warm-up pants against her leg where her cheerleading skirt ended and warmth spread all through her left side where her body touched Nicole's.

“First game for Purgatory. Are you nervous?” Waverly asked.

“Yeah, a little. I always get butterflies before games but once we start to warm-up I'm usually okay.” Nicole replied.

“I bet you're going to do great. I'll be, uh, we'll be cheering you on,” Waverly said.

“Thanks, that'll help for sure,” Nicole smiled. Waverly thought she could see a slight blush on Nicole's cheeks. They were quiet for a moment after that, Waverly unsure what to say next.

“So, are you in any other honors classes besides Chemistry?” Nicole asked.

“Yeah,” Waverly replied, ducking her head a little. “Um, all of mine are honors. There weren't enough of us for our own Chemistry class so we're in with the juniors.” She held her breath a moment, not sure what Nicole would think. Intelligence was not exactly prized at Purgatory High, especially not by Champ, who often said was “cute, for a nerd.”

“That's really cool, good for you,” Nicole said, seeming genuinely impressed. “I'm not surprised, you seem to do well in our Chemistry class. Favorite subject?”

“Oh, definitely History.”

“How come?”

“Well, I kind of love details. It's kind of fascinating to find out why things happened the way they did, and….” She paused, looking down at her hands, trying to decide if she should say the other reason she liked history, that it helped her make sense of her family. It was something she only talked about with Gus and Curtis, a part of herself that she had never even considered sharing with any friends. She feared their judgement or jokes, she grew up knowing what people said about her family and found it easier to hold it inside rather than risk more hurt. Despite only knowing Nicole a short time, Waverly felt certain that she could trust her, that telling Nicole about her family would be okay.

Waverly looked around the bus, there were empty seats around them and the noise from the other conversations was loud enough that they could talk without anyone overhearing. She turned and saw Nicole's eyes trained on her face, her head and body turned towards Waverly, her expression patient as if she sensed that Waverly wanted to tell her something important.

“Uh, I've been researching my family history. We're sort of...cursed.”

“What do you mean? Like, bad luck?” Nicole asked, her eyebrows pulled together.

Relieved that Nicole was taking her seriously, Waverly took a breath and continued. “No, a lot worse than bad luck. My family is descended from Wyatt Earp. Have you heard of him?”

“Yeah, he was famous in the Old West, right?” Nicole answered.

“He was a law man, and he killed a bunch of criminals. But a curse was put on him, and when he died all the people he killed came back to life as these demon kind of things. It sounds crazy, I know,” Waverly said, examining Nicole's face for signs of disbelief or shock.

“I believe you, Waves,” Nicole said gently, her voice low. The words were simple, but  
they were exactly what Waverly needed to hear. She took a shaky breath in, Nicole's comforting presence helping her to finish the rest.

“When I was little, this group of men attacked my family's house and they took my dad and my oldest sister, Willa,” she said, her voice sounding strange to her own ears. Her hands were clenched into tight fists in her lap. Nicole reached across and covered Waverly's hand with her own, gently opening it and running her thumb across the top of Waverly's fingers.

“My sister, Wynonna, she tried...she tried to help and she took my father’s gun and tried to shoot the men but she...hit my dad instead. He died, he's gone. And Willa's gone, the men took her and we've never seen her since.”

“I’m so sorry, Waves. What happened to Wynonna?” Nicole asked, squeezing Waverly's hand.

Waverly couldn't swallow past the burning lump in her throat. “They took her away. Put her in foster care, then an institution. They think she's crazy. A few years ago, she came to see me and she said she was leaving and I don't know when, or if, I'm ever going to see her again.” She felt suddenly exhausted, more tired than she could remember being in her life. She wanted desperately to lean against Nicole and feel her arms around her but instead she focused on Nicole's warm hands, fingers now threaded through hers.

Waverly was grateful that Nicole didn't ask for any more details, instead letting her sit in silence. Though she felt drained reliving the past, she felt lighter too, as if Nicole was now helping her carry some of the burden of being an Earp. They sat quietly for the remainder of the ride, Waverly resting her weight against Nicole and resisting the urge to put her head on Nicole's shoulder.

\---

Champ showed up at Waverly's house that Saturday afternoon with an apology and a bouquet of daisies in hand. She had given him the cold shoulder since their argument, but relented and accepted his invitation to the movies.

After the movie, he pulled his pickup into the parking lot of the park, a handful of young boys playing on the basketball court. Wasting little time, he slid across the bench seat and pulled her into the vice of his arms, his breath hot against her face as he kissed her. Her mind started to wander, her eyes staring out the windshield. She could faintly hear the sound of the basketball bouncing on the cement. She closed her eyes, leaned her head back and suddenly it wasn't Champ kissing her, it was Nicole. Nicole's long fingers combing through her hair, her thumbs brushing the sides of Waverly's face. Nicole pressed against her, her mouth so soft. Waverly ran her tongue along Nicole's lips, opening them and sliding her tongue against Nicole's.

“Whoa, Waves. You're really into it today. Guess I should get you flowers more often, huh?” Champ said, his face too close to hers.

Waverly gasped. Her eyes snapped open and she felt cold roll all through her body.

“Oh, God,” she whispered, the force of realization taking her breath away. She groaned and covered her mouth.

“What's wrong? Are you sick?” Champ asked, pulling back from her.

“Yeah, sorry. Can you just take me home? It just came on all of a sudden,” she said, latching on to his explanation for an excuse.

“Sure. Hey, you're not going to puke in my truck are you?”

“No, I just need to get home.”

He started the car and she rolled down the window, needing the cold air in her face. She was desperate to get home to her room, to be alone to think. When he finally pulled up to her house, she threw the door open and said a hasty goodbye as she sped along the walkway and into the house.

Gus looked up from her book when Waverly came in, then closed it when she saw the expression on Waverly's face.

“Honey, everything alright?”

“Yeah. Yeah, I just felt tired and wanted to come home.” Waverly hoped that would explain whatever it was Gus saw in her face.

Gus got out of her chair and came over to Waverly and held the back of her hand against Waverly's forehead. “You don't seem to have a temperature. Okay, you go on and lay down in your room then.”

“Ok,” Waverly answered. Her legs felt heavy as she climbed the stairs. She shut the door behind her and sat on her bed, her eyes staring but seeing nothing.

Finally. Finally, it made sense.

She got up, went to sit at her desk, and started her laptop. She began furiously searching everything she could think of: how to know if you're gay, girl crush or real crush, how to tell a girl you like her, and on and on. She read one article after another until she felt so far down the rabbit hole that she wasn't going to find her way back out. At times she felt more confused than ever, but there was no doubt that she could see a reflection of her feelings for Nicole in the stories she read, which left her oddly comforted to have a way to identify what she was feeling even if she had no idea what to do about it.

A knock on the door startled her so badly that she yelped and slammed the laptop cover shut. “Come in,” she called, cringing at how high-pitched her voice sounded.

The door opened and Gus appeared. “You've been awfully quiet up here, I wanted to see how you were doing,” she said, concern in her eyes.

“I'm ok,” Waverly replied quietly, her hand on the laptop.

“You don't sound too sure of that,” Gus said gently.

“Gus...how do you know for sure if you really like someone?” Waverly asked, keeping her eyes on the floor.

“Is this about Champ, or someone else?” Gus wondered, her eyebrow slightly raised.

Waverly laughed a little at Gus’s astuteness. “Someone else,” she replied, her voice a little shaky but admitting this much loosened some of the tension in her body.

“All right. Well, I suppose that it comes down to trusting your own feelings. I know you like to have your proof for things, Waverly, but it doesn't always work that way. Do you know if they feel the same way?”

“They do,” Waverly said, smiling now, seeing Nicole's face in her mind.

Gus walked over and put her hands on Waverly's shoulders. “You're such a good kid, Waverly. You've had a lot taken away from you, so I say if there's something, or someone, you want you should go for it.”

Waverly looked up at Gus, tears in her eyes. “Thanks, Gus.”

“You get some sleep, you look very tired,” Gus said, leaning down to kiss Waverly on the forehead before leaving the room and shutting the door softly behind her.

Waverly took a deep breath and blew it out. She went to the bathroom to wash her face and brush her teeth, then changed into her pajamas and climbed into bed. Tired as she was, she longed to talk to Nicole but was afraid of slipping and saying too much. She stared at the paper Nicole had written her number on until her eyes drooped then closed.

\---

Monday afternoon Waverly leaned against the gym door and watched Nicole at the free throw line, tracking the smooth motion of her arms as she shot. The bounce of the ball seemed loud in the empty gym. Nicole stopped, then turned towards her.

“I thought I could feel someone watching me,” Nicole said, smirking.

“Sorry. It's fun to watch you,” Waverly said, strolling over. “Nicole, can I ask you something?”

“Sure,” Nicole replied, tucking the ball under her arm.

“I heard that one of the guys on the basketball team asked you out and you said no. Is that true?” Waverly asked, her eyes on the floor.

“Yeah, that's true.” Nicole took a few steps closer. “I am interested in someone but it wasn't him...or any other guy,” she continued, her voice tender and low.

Waverly felt like her heart skipped several beats and tears started to burn in her eyes. She took a shaky breath and looked up at Nicole, a hot tear sliding down her cheek. Nicole set the basketball down on the floor and moved in to Waverly. She reached over and brushed her thumb across Waverly's cheek. Waverly closed her eyes at Nicole's touch, feeling a chill run down her back. She had never felt anything like it, it was perfect and delicate and it gave her the courage to ask what she wanted to know.

She met Nicole's kind eyes and asked “How did you know you were gay?”

Nicole sighed, bending her head so close to Waverly's that their foreheads nearly touched. “I grew up feeling that something was different, but I didn't know exactly what. When I was in the sixth grade, my best friend’s name was Beth. She lived next door and she was my favorite thing in the world. She had blonde hair and she giggled all the time. I told her that I wanted to marry her when we grew up. She was my first kiss.”

“What happened?” Waverly whispered.

“She told her older sister that we had kissed and her sister told their mom and all of a sudden my mom sat me down and told me what I had done was wrong and I couldn't see Beth anymore. It wasn't long after that that my dad got reassigned and we moved. I was heartbroken and I knew it wasn't just over losing my best friend. I knew she had wanted to kiss me too and it was the loss of possibility that hurt so much.”

“Have you had a girlfriend before?” Waverly asked, emboldened by what she had learned.

“Yeah,” Nicole said, smiling a little. “Last summer. I met her at a month-long basketball camp.”

“What was her name?” Waverly asked, jealousy twisting in her stomach. “What was she like?”

“Shae. She's really smart, she wants to be a doctor someday. It happened kind of fast, we were together all day for camp and then we were...together together.”

“But not anymore?” Waverly asked, desperate for confirmation.

“No, I broke it off before the end of camp. It was really intense at first, then it just didn't feel right anymore.”

Unable to stop herself, Waverly asked, “Did you love her?”

“I thought so,” Nicole said, a little sadness in her voice.

“Wow, I don't think I've ever seen you unsure about anything,” Waverly said. They laughed softly, breaking a little of the tension.

“Oh, I'm unsure about plenty of things,” Nicole replied. “But there are some things I know for sure that I want.” Nicole's eyes were intent on Waverly's, she took both of Waverly's hands in her own.

“How about you? Do you know what you want?” Nicole asked gently, tucking a strand of hair behind Waverly's ear.

Waverly felt a roll of terror move through her body. It was as if everything since the day she met Nicole had led to this moment but she couldn't push past her fear of a life she had never imagined. Instead of answering Nicole's question, she asked another. “What did you mean when you said you thought you loved Shae?”

Nicole paused and breathed deep, and Waverly realized that Nicole's answer was only going to pull them deeper. “I knew it because of how different I’ve felt falling in love with you. With you, everything is so much...more. Deep and intense. Overwhelming sometimes.”

Waverly knew this was it, Nicole had taken a huge risk in admitting her feelings and if she didn't step up to meet her what had been building between them could crumble. She felt like she was swimming in the ocean and with one more step she would no longer be touching the ground. She wanted so desperately to move into Nicole's arms and finally know the feel of her kiss but she couldn't push her body to take that last step.

“Nicole, I….I know I want to be your friend,” she said, fresh tears running down her cheeks.

Waverly’s heart shattered as she watched Nicole's face fall and her hand drop back to her side. “Friends,” Nicole said, tears in her own eyes now. “Sure Waverly, whatever you want.” For the first time, Waverly heard bitterness in Nicole's voice and it crushed her to know that she was the reason for it.

“I'm so sorry, I'm not being fair to you when I can't give you what you want,” Waverly said, her voice breaking.

“Can’t? Or won't?” Nicole challenged, her upsetment clear in her voice and her suddenly rigid posture.

“I'm so sorry,” Waverly cried, turning and walking away, unable to bear Nicole's pain.

\---

The following Friday night, after an extremely long week of trying not to think about Nicole only to dream about her every night, Waverly found herself sitting on the arm of the couch in Pete’s living room, Champ beside her laughing loudly at his friend’s jokes.

The room was filled with cheerleaders and their boyfriends, many of the girls sitting on their boyfriends’ laps with their arms around their necks. Champ had tried to entice her to sit on his own lap but she pulled away, claiming that she felt hot already. Champ had rolled his eyes in response.

For Waverly, the whole thing felt fake, like she was playing a part. She had wondered if the other kids were buying it, if they could somehow tell that she wasn’t like them. She tried to show interest in the conversation but found the whole thing so...boring. Talking to Nicole was different, everything was different with her. They actually listened to each other, and talked about things that mattered, not meaningless gossip. She went to stand up, feeling like she had to get out of the room before she went crazy.

Champ stood up behind her and wrapped her tightly in his arms. “Hey, where are you going babe?”

She felt like she was suffocating and was desperate to break free. She struggled to get away but he seemed to take this for a game and only increased his hold.

“Let me go,” she said, hearing the steel in her own voice.

“What's your problem? You've been moody and bitchy all night,” he said, a sneer on his face, looking around at the faces that were now turned towards them.

She wrestled free of his grip and stormed into the next room. She could hear his heavy footsteps behind her. She spun on her heel to face him. “We’re done,” she declared, and it was such relief.

“What?!” He sputtered, his expression disbelieving.

“Yeah, we’re done,” she repeated and walked away, feeling like she had cast a weight off her shoulders. She grabbed her coat and scarf from pile on the couch and threw open the front door, the fresh cool air like a kiss on her cheek.

\---

She stood on the sidewalk outside Pete's house for about ten minutes after she had called Uncle Curtis for a ride home, her coat pulled tight and her scarf up around her neck. His beat-up truck was a welcome sight when it rumbled into view.

“What's the matter, honey? Why didn't Champ drive you?” Curtis asked as she climbed into the warm truck cab.

“I broke up with him,” she said, realizing that there was no emotion in her own voice.

“Good riddance,” Curtis huffed. “Never thought he was good enough for you. That boy’s dumb as a rock.”

Waverly laughed. “You told me before that you liked him.”

“As long as you liked him, I liked him. But I think you made a good decision.”

“Thanks Uncle Curtis,” Waverly said, smiling at him.

They rode on in silence for a few minutes. At a red light, Curtis turned to her and said, “Gus tells me you have your eye on someone else. Someone smart, I hope.”

“Very smart, yes,” said Waverly.

“That's good, Waverly,” Curtis said, his smile showing the deep lines in his face.

Waverly's stomach plunged at the thought of seeing Nicole. She could feel her desperation rising as they got closer to the school. She knew that Nicole had taken a huge risk in telling Waverly that she had fallen in love with her and Waverly wanted to be brave for her.

“Curtis, can you drop me off at school? My friend Nicole is there. She's a basketball player, she likes to shoot in the gym.”

“Sure, honey. You want me to wait for you?”

“No, that's ok. I'll just walk home from here,” said Waverly, her heart hammering over what she planned to do.

“All right, you call me if you change your mind,” Curtis said as he pulled over in front of the gym.

“Thanks again, Uncle Curtis,” Waverly said, shutting the door.

\---

Waverly could hear a basketball bouncing as she approached the gym doors. She picked up speed as she got closer, then flung them open so hard that one door slammed into the wall, causing Nicole to jump. She headed for Nicole in a straight line, her heels pounding the floor. “Waves?! What is your problem?!” Nicole asked, tucking the basketball under her arm.

Waverly finally reached Nicole and, standing on her toes, took her face in both hands and kissed her hard. Nicole dropped the ball and pulled Waverly snug against the length of her body, lifting her slightly off the ground. Waverly heard herself sigh as Nicole's lips softly tugged on her own bottom lip. Nicole ran her tongue along the edge of her mouth and Waverly opened to her, their tongues meeting in a slow, deep hello.

They finally broke apart to breathe. “What happened to friends?” Nicole asked with a grin a mile wide.

“I'm so sorry that I hurt you. I don't want to be friends. I've just never been more scared of anyone in my life,” said Waverly, leaning her forehead against Nicole's.

“I scare you,” Nicole said, her voice tender.

“Yes. Yes, you do,” Waverly replied, sliding her hand to the back of Nicole's neck to play with the soft loose hairs that had escaped her ponytail.

“I'm sorry that this has all been so messy. Clearly, I was not ready for you,” Waverly admitted, dropping her eyes.

“And now?” Nicole whispered.

“Is that lunch date still available?” Waverly asked, looking up into Nicole's eyes, so close that she could see her long ginger eyelashes.

“Anytime.” Nicole kissed her cheek, her hand straying to Waverly's lower back.

Waverly's hear thumped when Nicole smiled, the one that lit up her eyes, the one that Waverly knew was only for her.

They leaned close, their mouths meeting at the perfect moment. Waverly threaded her fingers into Nicole's hair while Nicole deepened the kiss. She felt her whole body relax into Nicole. It all made sense to her now, this was how it was supposed to feel. All her nerves were gone, there was only her and Nicole and time stretching out before them.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed it! 
> 
> If you'd like to follow me on tumblr, go to cameronsmutiny.tumblr.com.


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